Liquid crystal displays have the advantages of portability, low power consumption, and low radiation, and because of this they have been widely used in various portable information products such as notebooks, personal digital assistants (PDAs), video cameras, and the like. Furthermore, liquid crystal displays are considered by many to have the potential to completely replace CRT (cathode ray tube) monitors and televisions.
Referring to FIG. 7, part of a typical liquid crystal display is schematically shown. The liquid crystal display 100 includes a liquid crystal panel 101, and a backlight module 102 used for illuminating the liquid crystal panel 101. The liquid crystal panel 101 includes a first substrate assembly 110, a second substrate assembly 130 parallel to the first substrate assembly 110, and a liquid crystal layer 120 sandwiched between the first substrate assembly 110 and the second substrate assembly 120. The backlight module 102 is provided adjacent to the first substrate assembly 110.
Referring also to FIG. 8, the first substrate assembly 110 includes a first transparent substrate 111, a number n (where n is a natural number) of gate lines 112, a number m (where m is also a natural number) of data lines 113, a plurality of thin film transistors (TFTs) 118, and a plurality of pixel electrodes 116.
The gate lines 112 are parallel to each other, with each gate line 112 extending along a first direction. The data lines 113 are parallel to each other, with each data line 113 extending along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. The gate lines 112 and the data lines 113 cross each other, thereby defining a plurality of pixel regions (not labeled). The pixel electrodes 116 are disposed in the pixel regions, respectively.
Referring also to FIG. 9, the second substrate assembly 130 includes a second transparent substrate 131, a color filter 132 provided on an inner surface of the second transparent substrate 131, and a common electrode 133 provided on an inner surface of the color filter 132. The color filter 132 includes a plurality of red filters (not labeled), a plurality of green filters (not labeled), and a plurality of blue filters (not labeled) arrayed in a matrix. The color filter 132 further includes a black matrix 134 that fills spaces between the red filters, the green filters and the blue filters. The black matrix 134 is disposed corresponding to the gate lines 112, the data lines 113 and the TFTs 118. The black matrix 134 absorbs light beams incident thereon. Thus, an area of the liquid crystal panel 100 corresponding to the black matrix 134 is defined as a non-display region, and other areas of the liquid crystal panel 100 are collectively defined as a display region.
The backlight module 102 emits light beams for displaying. A part of the light beams transmits through the display region of the liquid crystal panel 100 such that images or text is displayed. Another part of the light beams reaches the non-display region of the liquid crystal panel 100. A majority of these light beams are absorbed by the black matrix 134, the gate lines 112, the data lines 113, and the TFTs 118, and a minority of these light beams are reflected back to the backlight module 102 by the gate lines 112, the data lines 113, and the TFTs 118.
However, a reflective ratio of the gate lines 112, the data lines 113, and the TFTs 118 is low. Therefore a rate of utilization of the light beams emitted by the backlight module 102 is correspondingly low.
What is needed, therefore, is a liquid crystal panel that can overcome the above-described deficiencies. What is also needed is a liquid crystal display employing the liquid crystal panel.